Fishing report April 19-25: Tips on finding big fish in suddenly big reservoirs

Compiled by California Outdoors Hall of Fame member Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, who guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake.

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Best bets

New Melones kokanee showing up, Kyle Wise reported. Don Pedro bass picking up, Ryan Cook said. San Francisco Bay halibut limits possible, Chris Smith reported. Eastman Lake kicking out trophy largemouths, Michael Crayne said. White sturgeon meeting on May 16 important for interested Delta anglers, Dave Hurley added.

Roger’s remarks: Behold the power of a picture

I’ve never been much of a social media expert, but like many other anglers I’ve tried my hand at posting fishing-related stuff with varying degrees of success.

The breakthrough came about two weeks ago when I went to San Luis Reservoir with my buddy Byron Stickler. The fishing was really tough, and as we went looking for new spots to fish, I decided to take a few pictures.

When I got home I picked out the best three and did a Facebook post. The cover shot was the 152 rock wall on the northwest corner of the lake, showing that the water was just feet from the highway, and the other two were of the wildflowers in Portuguese Cove and a panoramic shot of the lake. I finished the post with some comments about the lake’s beauty and diverse wildlife.

I usually get a reach from 400 to 600 on my posts, but several years ago I had done a post with two big striper pictures and the numbers had gone into the high 20,000 range. That had been exciting to see as the number of viewers kept growing; maybe it would happen again someday.

There weren’t any big fish in the new post, so I figured most anglers would just scroll past it. But it reached over 1,500 in a few hours, hit 100,000 the next day and settled at 111,700!

Yeah, I know, compared to your 11-year-old nephew that’s a blip. But for me the experience was like unintentionally touching a live wire. Could I ride this wave again?

Analysis by a few astute social media friends suggested my post spanned a bunch of different interests and passions. I hadn’t consciously considered interests before like hiking, nature and beauty. In addition, I found out that my timing as the reservoir filled for the first time in a while was another “X Factor” that set off the explosion.

Seeing San Luis Reservoir near full after driving by the huge dust bowl many times over the last few years shocked a lot of folks. It was a “Wow moment” and many of them shared it with others…and on it went. I understand “viral” a lot more now.

Of course I had visions of setting off another Facebook wildfire but the follow-up post I did barely got going at all. Home runs are hard to repeat. After considering my foray into relatively unknown territory I’ve concluded that I’m going to return to my strategy of posting as many big fish as I can – it’s more fun for me. Never give up!

Roger George: rogergeorge8@protonmail.com , Rogergeorgeguideservice on Facebook and @StriperWars

Valley

Westside waterways

Striper 2 Catfish 2

Striperz Gone Wild is holding the second annual Haley Lauchland Memorial Aqueduct Tournament April 22 at the Hilldale Bridge. The entry fee for this tournament is 10 cans of unexpired food to be donated to the local food bank in Los Banos. Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle reported a good catfish bite with cut baits while a few striped bass are taken on Magnum Flukes as the water is clearing up.

In the south aqueduct in Kern County, cut baits or live minnows are the key for striped bass along with flukes or chartreuse/white swimbaits on a jig head. Catfishing is best with Triple S Dip Bait, chicken livers, or cut sardines where fast-moving water meets calm. Largemouth anglers used finesse baits like plastics on the drop-shot or curly tail grubs in any area with slower-moving water.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; Bob’s Bait Bucket, Bakersfield (661) 833-8657

Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake

Bass 3 Trout 2 Bluegill 3 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Eastman has been the big fish lake again as largemouth bass ranging from 7 to 9 pounds were caught and released this week. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod & Gun in Clovis said, “Senkos in the flooded brush were working for us as the fish were hitting it before you even had to move it. The bass are inside of the brush piles, and plastics on a shaky-head have also been effective. The water temperature has risen into the mid-60s and the fish are ready to spawn.” Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle added, “I know of a 9-pounder caught and released on a crankbait, and Hensley has been kicking out crappie with minnows or minijigs in the shallows.” Crayne added, “Eastman has been extremely busy with boat traffic on the weekends as 42 kayaks were on the lake on Sunday in addition to 15 to 20 power boats launching from the Chowchilla side.” A double trout plant is scheduled for Eastman this week with a single plant at Hensley, and the presence of trout should turn on the glide bait or rainbow trout patterned swimbait bite at both lakes. Other than crappie, bluegill, baby bass, and crawdads, both lakes have a limited food source with no threadfin shad. Boaters should get updates on Avenue 26b between Roads 27 and 29 – the main road to Eastman – as it was previously closed due to a washout across the roadway. Road 29 is open on the backside of the lake. Eastman rose 3 feet to 572.15 feet in elevation and 84% with Hensley rising 4 feet to 512.80 feet in elevation and 58%.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255; Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hensley Lake Hidden Dam 673-5151

Lake Don Pedro

Bass 3 Trout 3 Kokanee 2 King salmon 1 Crappie 3

Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing reported continued solid trout action as the water temperatures are warming up quickly to the 58/59-degree range. He has been scoring with heavy spoons on lead core, spinners or Apex lures behind a dodger, or working Rapalas or blade/’crawler combinations on side planers. He said, “We will start targeting kokanee soon as I am aware of kokanee starting to show up, and there are big mats of plankton in the lake and the fish are gorging themselves on the plankton. The rainbows are in very good shape, fat and healthy with few copepods.” For bass, Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “Don Pedro is clearly improving as the fish are in various stages of the spawn. I’ve already seen fry in the shallows. Weightless 5-inch Senkos on a wacky-rig, stick baits, Lunker Daddy plastics on either the drop-shot or Carolina-rig or Baby Brush Hogs are all working at depths from 5 to 20 feet in the cuts. We landed a couple of fish in the 5-pound range this week as part of a 19-pound limit.” The lake dropped 4 feet to 799.43 feet in elevation and to 82%.

Call: Monte Smith, Gold Country Sport Fishing (209) 581-4734; Kyle Wise, Head Hunter Guide Service (209) 531- 3966; Ryan Cook, Ryan Cook’s Fishing (559) 691-7008

Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area

Bass 2 Trout 1 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2

The lake has dropped just over 2 feet to 53% and 2,578.90 feet in elevation due to steady releases of 4,884 cfs of release out of the dam at First Point. A trout plant is scheduled for next week, and this should help with the upcoming trout derby starting on May 20 as trout plants will be building up to the start of the derby. Boaters are reminded to proceed with caution due to debris that’s gathered in lake from the Upper Kern River. Three boat docks were placed are back in service at the South Fork Recreation, Old Isabella Road, and Camp 9. The 32nd annual Kern County Chamber of Commerce Trout Fishing Derby was postponed from its April 1 start, and it will now occur from May 20 through June 4. Registration is $40/angler with youth at $15/angler. The derby has 500 tagged trout worth between $20 and $10,000 and over $55,000 in cash and prizes. Registration and information at kernrivervalley.com/isabellalakefishingderby.

At the local lakes, River Walk is scheduled for a trout plant next week, and garlic-scented Power Bait, pinched crawlers, or Get Bent Baits will be effective for the planters for a few days after the plant. At Ming and Hart Park, bass are moving into the shallows and on beds. Bluegill are taken on wax worms, meal worms, or red worms while crappie can be found in the warmer waters of the afternoons with live minnows or minijigs. At Buena Vista, crappie are taken on minijigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles, live minnows, or minijigs in orange, black, or chartreuse. Catfishing is best with Triple S dip bait, garlic-scented nightcrawlers, or chicken livers. The flows in the upper Kern River at Kernville are steady at 2,596 cfs.

Call: Bob’s Bait Bucket, Bakersfield (661) 833-8657; North Fork Marina (760) 376-1812; Golden Trout Pack Station (559) 542-2816

Lake Kaweah

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

The lake continues to drop as it receded another 19 feet to 641.28 feet in elevation and 32%. The dropping water may affect the largemouth bass spawn as these fish need stable water levels as they spawn in shallow water as opposed to spotted bass who can spawn as deep as 18 feet. 27 boats participated in Saturday’s Cen Cal Elite Bass tournaments with six teams weighing in from 10 to 16-plus pounds. Bass fishing is fair with Senkos, plastics on the drop-shot, or reaction baits. The bass are moving into the shorelines in preparation for the spawn, and the current warm conditions will only further spur on the movement to the shorelines. A trout plant is scheduled for this week, and this should help both the swimbait bite along with bank anglers targeting planters near the launch ramp. Both Lemon Hill and Slick Rock launch ramps are open. The Kaweah River at Three Rivers rose to 2,331 cfs. Trout plants are scheduled for Mooney Grove Park the next two weeks.

Lake Success

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

Success rose 5 feet to 639.39 feet in elevation and 67%. A trout plant is scheduled for this week, and this should bring out the largemouth bass to feed on the planters along with attracting anglers to work the banks with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters. Finesse baits are working best for bass as the fish are moving into the shallows in all stages of spawning. The high water levels should allow for a solid spawn. A trout plant is scheduled for Murry Park this week.

Call: Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626, sequoiafishingcompany.com

McClure Reservoir

Bass 3 Trout 1 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 3 Catfish 2

The lake has dropped 28 feet in the past three weeks to 811.45 feet in elevation and 67%. Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “The bass are hungry, and they are chewing. Weightless 5-inch Senkos on a wacky-rig, Lunker Daddy’s plastics on the drop-shot or Carolina-rig, or Baby Brush Hogs are all effective at depths from 5 to 20 feet. I have been working the cuts as the fish are schooling up, and they are in all stages of spawning: pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn as I have already observed fry in the shallows.” Crappie are found with live minnows or minijigs are another option as the slabs are moving into the shallows in the cuts.

Call: Ryan Cook, Ryan Cook’s Guide Service (559) 691-7008

McSwain Reservoir

Trout 2

The lake is spilling over at 107%, and dirty water from releases from Lake McClure along with no plants since the derby have resulted in a slow trout bite. There have been a few brown trout landed from the shorelines, and these fish must have come over the Exchequer Dam at upstream Lake McClure with the high water. There are holdovers from the pre-derby plant in the lake, but most bank anglers are struggling for a fish or two per trip. Call: Angler’s Edge Market (209) 226-4416; McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 0 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod & Gun in Clovis said, “A few striped bass are showing up, and there was even a lineside landed in Winchell’s Cove. Overall the bass bite is good with Senkos or plastics on the drop-shot along with reaction baits despite the water dropping rapidly to the 1st ramp.” The lake dropped 20 feet to 497.65 feet in elevation and from 52% to 40% with heavy water releases at 8,761 cfs down the San Joaquin River at Friant. The threat of a rapid snowmelt is resulting in high water releases. Woodward Park in Fresno is scheduled for a trout plant this week.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 4 Crappie 3 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 2

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “New Melones is wide-open for bass as the fish have moved into the shallows. It’s easy to catch them right now.” Finesse plastics are producing up to 80 fish per trip, and the occasional quality spotted or largemouth bass is found on swimbaits or glide baits. A huge 182-boat kayak tournament took place on Saturday, and the tournament was taken by Anthony Garcia with a total of 317.75 inches for all the fish landed and photographed. Kayakers are advised to prepare their boats with red/green lights if they have a motor along with a white light while launching prior to safe light as several bass boats were blasting off at the same time, putting the kayakers without lights in danger. For trout and kokanee, Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service put his clients onto kokanee to 16.5 inches running pink hoochies at 12 feet in depth, and he added, “Trout fishing has been easy as the water has cleared to 10 feet of visibility. We are still averaging limits to 18 inches running J7 Rapalas or Speedy Shiners at depths to 25 feet.” The lake rose 2 feet to 995.28 feet in elevation this week and 60% with the start of snowmelt coming down the Stanislaus River. Downstream Lake Tulloch continues to be excellent for bass fishing with Bill Kunz of St. Croix Rods winning Sunday’s Fresno Bass Club tournament with a limit at 17.02 pounds.

Call: John Liechty, Xperience Fishing Guide Service (209) 743-9932; Ryan Cook, Ryan Cook’s Guide Service (559) 691-7008; Kyle Wise, Headhunter Guide Service (209) 531-3966; Monte Smith (209) 581-4734

Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River

Bass 3 Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 3

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod & Gun in Clovis said, “The water level is dropping, but crappie fishing has been excellent near Trimmer or near the launch ramp at Deer Creek with small minnows or minijigs.” Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle confirmed the solid crappie bite near Trimmer as the slabs are moving into the shallows. For spotted bass, Crayne added, “It’s basically junk fishing right now as the bass are moving into the shallows and hitting nearly everything.” A trout plant is scheduled for this week at Pine Flat. The lake dropped 25 feet to 871.79 feet in elevation and 59%. The flows on the lower Kings have risen from 2,723 to 5,737 cfs this week, and the flows are dangerously high for bank anglers. There hasn’t been a plant for a few weeks, and the fast-moving water has been another limiting factor.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626

San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay

Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 3 Crappie 1

The lake remains at 99% this week. Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported trolling Lucky Craft 128s or casting 3/4-ounce lipless crankbaits near the Romero Visitor Center have been scoring school-sized striped bass. Sales of jumbo minnows have increased, but the wind was a limiting factor last week. In the forebay, the largemouth bass bite has been excellent as the fish are moving onto the beds. Squarebilled crankbaits, Yumbrellas casting umbrella rigs, Keitech swimbaits on an underspin, or crawdad-patterned reaction baits are all working.” Trolling umbrella rigs on a long setback of 150 feet at 2.5 mph along the western shoreline in 30 to 40 feet of water has also been effective. Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said he scouted the big lake with a friend on Sunday in heavy wind and cold but they found some improved activity in the tough conditions. “The wind was in the 15-25 mph range most all day and finding anything that would bite was the trick. We finally found fish off a few points in Portuguese Cove when the wind slowed to 10-15 mph and trolled Lucky Crafts at 50-60 feet at 2 mph, 100 feet out. We worked all day and ended with 14 good fish, all catch-and-release. Most were around 24 inches and one was 27 inches and around 8 pounds, a good quality day. We really had to earn each of these fish in the big waves pounding the area. Water temps were from 54 to 58 degrees. I believe the fish are starting to settle down and acclimatize.”

Bill Sterling of Striperz Gone Wild said, “Our club members were out at the forebay on Saturday, and we were assisting with the Los Banos 4H Kid’s Derby. We gave out several tackle boxes to youth.” The forebay rose to 86% in spite of releases down the California Aqueduct.

Wind warning and lake closure lights are used on San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay to alert boaters of current wind conditions. On San Luis Reservoir, watch for the three wind warning and lake closure lights near the Basalt Entrance Station, Quien Sabe Point, and the Romero Visitor Center. On the O’Neill Forebay, wind warning lights are located near the old Medeiros boat ramp and above the South Beach Area. Amber lights signify caution conditions for winds or other concerns while red lights indicate the lake is closed to boating and all vessels are required to immediately vacate the lake when the red lake closure lights are on. windfinder.com/forecast/san_luis_reservoir

Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711; Roger George, rogergeorgeguideservice.com (559) 905-2954; windfinder.com/forecast/san_luis_reservoir

High Sierra

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0

Veteran Bass Lake guide Mike Beighey of Bass Lake Fishing said, “Trout are hitting at 5 to 10 feet out in front of the Forks using Dick’s Trout busters and Dick’s blue or gold Mountain Dodgers. Nightcrawlers on the Trout Busters are killing ’em. I’m trolling at 1.5 mph, but I haven’t seen any kokanee yet, but I’m keeping an eye on Shaver with Todd to see what’s up.

I saw a lot of fish in front of Miller’s Landing at Bass Lake. It’s very possible that they are kokanee, but I’m uncertain. I am hoping that this year’s kokanee bite will be much better than last. But, it’s a good time now to pick up a limit of trout. CDFW trout plants are scheduled for the next two weeks, making the Bass Lake Derby a great opportunity for scoring on trout.” The annual Bass Lake Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby is April 29-30. Derby registration is $25/adult and $15/youth under 16. Registration and information at basslakechamber.com/fishing-derby. A webcam of the launch ramp is at basslakeca.com.

Call: Mike Beighey, Bass Lake Fishing 676-8133

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

The Kaiser Pass Lakes are out of play until late spring as heavy snow fell in the region. Edison is at 4%, Florence at 18%, and Mammoth Pool is full at 100%.

Call: Road conditions 297-0706; Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Kokanee 1 Trout 2

Dick Nichols, Shaver Lake Guide Emeritus, said, “Good weather into the 60s for the rest of the month and a California Department of Fish and Wildlife trout plant the week of April 23 should bring many anglers to Shaver Lake. Trollers have been connecting on a few yearling trout in the 15-inch size this past week, but only a few were picking up much more than a limit per boat. The end-of-the-month trout plant will most likely take place at the Sierra Marina ramp. Good news for bank fishermen as there is shoreline access due to a slight drop in the water column. Trollers using beaded spinners tipped with crawler behind weighted flashers or a dodger should have good success on the fresh planted trout after the plant. Kokanee anglers are having a difficult time locating any schools. Veteran guide Todd Wittwer of Kokanee.net plans to pre-fish soon and hopefully have some encouraging reports next week.” Shaver is at 57%.

It will take some additional time for higher-elevation Huntington to dig out, but it is getting closer. Huntington is low at 30%. A webcam of the Shaver launch ramp is at sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html.

Call: Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100; Jerad Romero, Jrods Guide Service 392-6994; Tom Oliveira, Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072

Wishon/Courtright

Trout 0

Heavy snow continues to fall in the region, perhaps pushing back the traditional road opener on McKinley Grove Road further into early May. However, a trout plant is scheduled for next week.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Ocean

Half Moon Bay

Salmon 0 Rockfish 0 Striper 1 White seabass 0 Crab 2 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

For now, it’s all about surf perch and striped bass from the shorelines, and there have been encouraging numbers of striped bass showing up along the area beaches. The salmon closure has hit this port particularly hard, but boats will be able to take the 18- mile trip south of Pigeon Point for rockfish starting May 1 through September 30 at all depths. The local rockfish season starts on May 15 through July 15 seaward of the 50-fathom curve before opening up July 16 at any depth until December 31. Crab limits are possible off of the Pacifica Pier with snares loaded with anchovies, squid, or sardines.

Call: Captain Michael Cabanas – New Captain Pete (510) 677-7054; Captain Chris Chang – Ankeny Street – (650) 279-8819; Captain Bill Smith – Riptide – (650) 728-8433; Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing – Queen of Hearts – (510) 581-2628.

Monterey/Santa Cruz

Salmon 0 Rockfish 0 Striper 2 White seabass 0 Crab 3 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

Alan Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “Ok, it’s time to go fishing! Sadly, we can’t pursue our favorite king salmon this year. The fishery remains closed due to low counts of returning salmon to California’s river systems. Rockfish season opens May 1 with no depth restrictions until October. We should have fantastic rockfishing while targeting deep reefs that have lain unmolested for many years. Big halibut are already starting to bite on the flat sandy areas in 50-70 feet of water around the bay.Surfcasting for perch remains a little slow, but it will heat up as the ocean temperatures rise. Also very exciting after this tumultuous winter of wind, rain and giant swells, we are seeing big schools of roving striped bass feeding up and down the shore of Monterey Bay due to the Pajaro and Salinas rivers getting a good flush after previous years of drought. The best striper bite so far has remained south of Moss Landing, but there have been a few pulses of stripers on the beaches near Capitola and Santa Cruz just this week. Boat based anglers are also reporting schools of sardines fairly close to shore both in the north and south sections of the bay. “Sardine years” have a history of being very productive for ocean fishing and may provide some variety in the species feeding in the bay this year. To get set for a potentially fast and furious fishing season, we gotta get gear. Rods, reels, bait, and tackle are a constant need for the active angler. We put the question out to some of the salty anglers around the bay recently, asking about their favorite tackle shops in the area or nearby and received some great info that they were happy to share. Ed Quiambao from Salinas responded, “We got The Tackle Box at 1012 N. Davis Rd. in Salinas. They’ve been at the same location for more than 40 years. Talk to Roger, he will get you going! We also have Fishery Supply in San Jose off Story Rd. Mai is the owner, and she’s super awesome! Ralph Reyes, owner of mekeni_baitz added, “Along with Ed’s mentions we also frequent Hi’s Tackle Box in South San Francisco. Jonah and Michelle have a great selection of rods, reels and tackle for all sorts of fishing.” BJ Sack from Santa Cruz recommends Bayside Marine, West Marine, Coyote Bait and Tackle and Moss Landing Boat Works. Coyote Bait seems to be a favorite with the surfcasters. Roger Urabe mentioned,” Nice staff & owner. Has everything for fishing local waters,” while Jamie Smith asserted “Coyote because it’s a little store and was open every day during the pandemic and open at 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Good people.” Our friend Forrest Murray is mostly a boat angler these days, and he doesn’t seem to get very far away from Santa Cruz. His quote read, “Are there choices besides Bayside and West Marine?” Bayside is a fixture at the Santa Cruz Harbor and carries a full line of fishing and boating supplies, bait and associated gear. West Marine is located at 2460 17th Avenue in Santa Cruz. Besides the clothing, electronics and full boating supply, this particular store has a vastly improved bait and tackle section thanks to the management team of Sergio and Brandon, who strive to keep everything stocked including a wide variety of fresh and frozen bait. Another favorite shop just a stone’s throw from the beach is J & D Tackle Shop at 1675 Contra Costa (upstairs) in Sand City. This little shop is above J & D Auto Repair and is well-stocked with gear for local anglers. Greg Henning from Soquel provided a thoughtful and somewhat historical response saying, “I’ve thought about this for a while. The Sportsman’s Shop and Ernie’s were my go-to places back in my day. Info, gear, etc. were always trusted. Now I think it’s been super hard for any business to stay afloat in this area and will get much more difficult (salmon closure). Given that SC people go with Bayside and a much improved (in my opinion) West Marine for their gear. Coyote and Tackle Box are aways away but have certain things.” Mark Juhas fishes the Monterey Bay on a regular basis, but also travels a bit while chasing fish. He provided a couple alternative shops to look for when we’re on the road. Juhas remarked, “There’s New Coastside Bait and Tackle in Pacifica. Excellent supply of lures (some hard to find elsewhere), all the terminal tackle you could need, a selection of rods and reels and even live bait. The friendly newer owner (the former passed away a couple years ago) is helpful, knowledgeable, and knows the current fish stories from the area. Also, Central Coast guys I interact with in other groups pitch ‘Been There, Caught That’ in Santa Maria. I’ve not been there, but seems like a well-stocked small independent business, from what I’ve seen.”

Chris Arcoleo of Chris’s Fishing in Monterey said, “We are sold out on the May 1st rockfish opener, and we will be targeting rockfish from then on. We have been seeting a lot of salmon on Monterey Bay, and we have been releasing one or two per trip on our sand dab/Petrale sole/Dungeness crab combination trips. We had close to 60 big Petrale for 10 anglers on our last trip.” Below Pigeon Point will be the only game in town for nearshore rockfish until the other ports north of Pigeon open at unlimited depths on July 16th.

Surf perch and shore-based rockfishing are the only game in town until rockfishing opens below in the Central Management Area from May 1 through Sept. 30 at all depths. From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, take of shelf and slope rockfish and lingcod is open seaward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Similar to the other ports, the salmon closure is devastating news to this location.

Call: Chris’ Landing (831) 375-5951; Allen Bushnell – Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732.

Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay

Salmon 0 Albacore 0 Halibut 3 Striper 2 Rockfish 0 Leopard shark 3 Sturgeon 1 Crab 2

Halibut fishing has been nothing short of spectacular with many boats returning with three-fish limits even though trolling has been the only game in town. This might change this weekend as live bait may be available for the first time this season at the San Francisco bait receiver at Pier 47 (415) 507-1962. Another likely change will occur to the halibut daily bag limit as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing an emergency regulation change to reduce the recreational California halibut daily bag and possession limit from three fish to two fish in northern California (waters north of Point Sur, Monterey County). The proposal will be discussed at the May 17, 2023 California Fish and Game Commission teleconference meeting. Based on California Recreational Fisheries Survey estimates, a bag limit reduction from three to two fish could result in protecting about 13% of fish that would otherwise be taken. Emergency regulations sunset after six months, with opportunities for two 90-day extensions. Updates can be followed on the Commission’s regulation’s web page at https://fgc.ca.gov/Regulations/2023-New-and-Proposed. Of concern has been the limited number of undersized halibut this year after two years of up to 100 undersized halibut released per trip.

Captain Chris Smith of the Pacific Dream out of Berkeley Marina said, “We had a fantastic weekend of halibut and striped bass fishing aboard the Pacific Dream with a total of 100 halibut and 13 stripers for 33 anglers and crew on Saturday and Sunday. The bite is clearly tidal, but once they start biting, it’s on. We might get live bait this weekend, and that will be a gamechanger as we can target deep water.” Smith took a 3/4th day on Monday with 6 anglers for 17 halibut, and there have been some quality halibut to 24 pounds. Our 3/4th-day trips are $175.00/angler.” The prices on six-packs and party boats have been dropping as the competition has ramped up for bay species with the salmon closure. Boats from Half Moon Bay and Bodega Bay have moved into San Francisco Bay to target halibut and stripers, and the party boats are joined by an entire fleet of private boaters and kayakers in the south bay, particularly on the weekends.

The next opportunity for boat-based fishing in the ocean will start on May 15 seaward of the 50-fathom line until it opens at any depth beginning July 16 until December 31. Smith on the Pacific Dream is looking forward to working the new depths, and he is already filled for the May 15th opener. Also targeting deep water rockfish will be Captain Jerad Davis on the Salty Lady out of Sausalito. Davis said, “We have been known primarily as a salmon boat, but with the salmon closure, we will start rockfishing on May 15th along with running bay trips for halibut and striped bass.”

Leopard shark are another option in the bay, and a few boats are targeting the shark with salmon roe, midshipmen, or squid. Leopard shark are a great option for beginning anglers and children on a catch-and-release basis.

Call: Captain Trent Slate Bite Me Charters (415) 307-8582; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388.

San Luis Obispo

Rockfish 0 Salmon 0 Surf perch 3

The boat-based rockfish season will open May 1 from Pigeon Point in San Mateo County to Point Conception south of Morro Bay at all depths through September 30. From October 1 through December 31, the take of shelf and slope rockfish and lingcod is open seaward of the 50-fathom line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50 fathom RCA line. Boats out of Morro Bay and Port San Luis are filling up for the opening week. Webcams of many of the coastal locations are available at https://805webcams.com/.

Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing

Others

Delta/Stockton

Bass 2 Striper 2 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3 Salmon 0

Largemouth bass action is improving on a weekly basis as the water continues to warm and clear. The inaugural Western Bass Shootout/Quest for the Best demonstrated the necessity to be adaptable when conditions change. Stockton native, Ken Mah of Elk Grove, used his extensive knowledge of the Delta to best the elite field of 50 anglers from the Major League Fishing Toyota Series, APEX Pro Tour, Wild West Bass Trail, and Western Outdoor News leading from start to finish. Mah began with a 27-plus pound limit, followed by a 20-pound plus limit, but Sunday’s cold front slowed the bite for all 10 qualifiers. Mah needed only 6 pounds to stay in the lead, but he scratched out 13-plus pounds to win the three-day event with 61.54 pounds using a variety of baits including squarebill crankbaits or jigs. Alan Fong of Alan Fong’s Outdoors has been working with Mah over the past few months in the north Delta, and Fong has been finding increased success around Liberty Island for largemouth bass to 6 pounds and striped bass to 15 pounds. He said, “Stripers are starting to show up in the shallow flats as the water is clearing and warming up.”

Striped bass have been blowing through the muddy water of the Delta for the upper Feather and Sacramento Rivers, but the upper river became muddy over the weekend and the river guides migrated down to the Delta. The Sacramento below Rio Vista remain dirty, but Dave Houston of Livermore, expert troller, said, “The water in the Delta has cleared up a bit and there are lots of stripers on both the Sacramento and the San Joaquin.”

Sturgeon fishing remains excellent as Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing out of Pittsburg put his clients onto a total of 16 sturgeon of all sizes on two trips this week using salmon roe. Mitchell said, “The sturgeon are biting on both tides, and the bite is really good right now even though most of our six-pack fleet has vacated the Delta for the bay. I will be running both sturgeon trips out of Pittsburg and bay trips out of Berkeley for the foreseeable future.”

There are proposed changes in regulations for white sturgeon starting in January 2024, and anglers will have the opportunity for participation in a virtual public meeting by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on the white sturgeon fishery on May 16, from 5:30-7:30 pm. At this meeting, white sturgeon biology, fishery history, current status and management, and challenges they face will be discussed. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask CDFW scientists questions about sturgeon and provide input on their present and future hopes for the fishery. The link to the online meeting can be found at these locations: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Fishes/Sturgeon or https://wildlife.ca.gov/Notices.

Call: Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260; Captain Steve Mitchell – Hook’d Up Sport Fishing – (707) 655-6736; Vince Borges – Vince Borges Outdoors (209) 918-0828

Lake Nacimiento/San Antonio/Santa Margarita/Lopez

Bass 2 White bass 1 Striper 0 Catfish 3 Crappie 2 Bluegill 2 Trout

Lopez Lake is scheduled for a trout plant next week, and this should help with the swimbait bite. The lake is still spilling at 100.4%, and it is spilling for the first time in 25 years. Anglers can view a live webcam of the lake at https://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/ Santa Margarita was the host for Saturday’s Best Bass Tournaments won by Kenneth Cleveland fishing solid with 14.80 pounds. He landed five keepers all day long, and there were long stretches without action. The second-place team came in the 14.40 pounds, and they landed between 16 and 20 keepers using a variety of lures including reaction and finesse baits. The lake is also spilling at 100.6%. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california. At Nacimiento, the lake dropped to 93%, and plastics on the drop-shot or dart head along with Senkos are working in the shallows as the spotted bass are moving toward the banks. Crappie are taken with small Keitech swimbaits or minijigs over submerged structure. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/lake-nacimiento-live-webcam/. At San Antonio, the lake continues to rise slowly, and it is currently at 68%. However, the lake is muddy with debris on the surface, and it will take some time to clear before fishing is back in action. Once the lake clears, fishing could be as good as it has been in recent memory for bass, catfish, and crappie.

Reminder: consuming white bass, black bass, crappie, catfish, or carp are subject to safe eating guidelines due to excessive mercury.

Events

Tournament Results

Delta/B and W Resort –-Western Bass Shootout/Quest for the Best – April 14/16th: 1st – Ken Mah– 61.54 pounds; 2nd – Beau Jourdrey – 54.53; 3rd – Kyle Grover – 52.74.

New Melones –-No Limit Kayak Tournament – April 15th: 1st – Anthony Garcia – 317.75 inches; 2nd – Shaun Leytem – 235.50 inches; 3rd –Greg Blanchard – 232.50.

Kaweah –- Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments– April 15th: 1st – David Coy/Larry Kerns– 16.08 pounds; 2nd –Antonio Gonzalez/James Beasley – 15.29; 3rd – Chris Coffman/Gerardo Rigor –– 13.37 (Big Fish – 6.69).

Santa Margarita –- Best Bass Tournaments– April 15th: 1st – Kenneth Cleveland – 14.80; 2nd – Brandon Colombo/Graham Grove – 14.22; 3rd – Fernando Salazar/Sal Rocha – 13.70 (Big Fish – 4.70).

Tulloch –- Fresno Bass Club – April 16th: 1st –Bill Kunz – 17.02 (Big Fish 5.85); 2nd – Cory Kerber – 15.39; 3rd - Jeff Short –– 15.26.

Kaweah –-Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments High School Division – April 16th: 1st – Trenton Housey – 12.97 pounds (Big Fish – 4.39); 2nd – Austin Burns – 8.79; 3rd – Elijah Amaro –– 5.84.

Kaweah –-Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments Youth Tournament – April 16th: 1st –Kyle Rader – 9.54 pounds; 2nd – Bear Demacablin – 8.35 (Big Fish – 2.86); 3rd – Coleton Rader –– 6.85.

Upcoming Tournaments (Dates and locations subject to change)

April 18

Don Pedro – Mid Valley Agriculture

April 19

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Major League Fishing

April 20-22

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Major League Fishing

April 22-23

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Kern County BassMasters

Camanche – Bass Anglers of Northern California

April 22

Delta/Sandy Beach – Central Valley Anglers Striped Bass Derby

Tulloch – Yak-A-Bass

Don Pedro - Wild We Bass Trails

Eastman – Sheet Metal Workers #104

Bass Lake – Sierra Bass Club

Success – Golden Empire Bass Club

Isabella – American Bass Association

Santa Margarita – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers

Lopez – American Bass Association

April 23

Millerton – California Bass Federation

Bass Lake – Kings River Bass Club

April 29/30

Don Pedro – Bakersfield Bass Club

Bass Lake – Bass Lake Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby

April 29

New Melones – Christian Bass League

Eastman – Mid-Valley Bass Club

April 30

Delta/B and W Resort – California Bass Federation

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – American Bass Association

May 5 /6

Delta/Big Break Marina – CA Bass Nation Kayak

Success – Cen Cal Elite Tournaments

May 6

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Kerman Bass Club

Lake Pardee – Angler’s Press

McClure – Best Bass Tournaments

Bass Lake – Kerman Bass Club

Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments

May 13

Delta/Big Break Marina – California Bass Federation

Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments

Bass Lake – Bass 101

Nacimiento – Central Coast Bass Bash

Santa Margarita – Golden Empire Bass Club

May 19

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Wild West Bass Trails Pro/Am

May 20

Delta/Contra Costa County – Sierra Bass Club

Camanche – Riverbank Bass Anglers

Lake Pardee – Kokanee Power You Derby

Tulloch - Nor Cal Bass

McClure – Yak-A-Bass

Pine Flat – Central Valley Kayak Fishing

Isabella – American Bass Association

Brite Valley Reservoir – Tehachapi Valley Recreation

Nacimiento – Bakersfield Bass Club/SLO Bass Ambushers

Santa Margarita – Kern County Bass Masters

May 21

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Modesto Ambassadors/Kings River Bass Club

Camanche – Fresno Bass Club

New Melones – Kings VIII Bass Club

Don Pedro – Slay Nation Tournaments

May 27

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass Club